Last Thursday, three astronauts aboard the ISS took emergency shelter in their Soyuz vehicle over concerns that a piece of orbital debris would pass alarmingly close to the Station.
ISS crew and space community dodge another bullet
Author: R. Thirsk
Integrated research and patient care is key to curing cancer
I had always hoped that cancer would be conquered within my lifetime, but I’m no longer sure that will happen. Cancer is a complex disease. In fact, it’s not just one disease; every single cancer is different on a genetic basis. Consequently, a cure for cancer remains elusive. I was pleased to hear that the new Calgary […]
Gennady Padalka breaks record for total time in space – 804 days
My Russian cosmonaut friend Gennady Padalka just achieved an impressive career milestone. Today Gennady broke the record for total time in space – 804 days. Mind blowing. And a significant landmark in human spaceflight. I trained with Gennady for several years and then flew with him in 2009 aboard the International Space Station. He was […]
University of Calgary faculty and students will change our world
I met today with the Senate Executive Co-chairs Ian Minnifee and Phil Tuck to debrief our last Senate and Executive meetings. The debriefing of past meetings is something that we routinely do. However, today’s debrief was not routine – it was my last meeting with Ian and Phil. Both of these stalwart individuals have reached […]
A well-crafted message moves hearts and minds
I was in Athens, Ohio last week participating in International Space University (ISU). Ohio University is hosting ISU’s Space Studies Program for nine weeks this summer. 101 young professionals from 35 different countries are in attendance and learning about space across theme areas that include sciences; engineering; applications; policy, economics and law; management and business; human […]
Nellie’s North is a place that offers great opportunities for the benefit of all Canadians
This morning we held the convocation for the 2015 University of Calgary graduates in Education. During this ceremony, we also conferred an honorary degree on Nellie Cournoyea, the first female aboriginal government leader (premier of the Northwest Territories) and the longest serving public figure in the North. I noted that it was Senator Georgette Habib […]
Sheldon Kennedy has faced his fears in a way that few dare to do
This afternoon we held the convocation ceremony for the 2015 University of Calgary graduates in Environmental Design, Kinesiology and Social Work. In addition to celebrating our new graduates, we also awarded Grant MacEachern (a longtime friend of our university) with the Order of the University of Calgary and Sheldon Kennedy with the honorary degree Doctor […]
BC’s Lt.-Gov. reminds us it’s our collective responsibility to leave the world in better condition
The current Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia is the Honorable Judith Guichon. Judith has a love and respect for the land. For many generations her family has ranched in the southern interior of BC. Along with her late husband, Judith introduced the practice of ‘holistic management’ to local ranchers. Holistic management is a farming method which […]
Connecting with Calgary’s leaders
In my role as Chancellor I plan and host three Chancellor’s Club events per year. Chancellor’s Club is a forum where community, business and academic leaders come together to engage in spirited conversations on compelling topics, network, and meet the high-achieving students who benefit from the Club’s support. Each Chancellor’s Club event has a […]
Magical evening with Diana Krall
My wife Brenda and I were at Place des Arts in Montréal last night to attend a concert by Diana Krall. Some dear friends and family members joined us for a memorable evening. The concert was superb. Diana and her band played a wide variety of music from 1920s jazz to American standards to blues. 3,000 […]